Interview with Robert Pattinson from Hungary's Nepszava Online

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Budapest is in Robert Pattinson fever, who is here shooting the film adaptation of Maupassant’s Bel Ami.

Hundreds of twenty-somethings are lurking around the Opera, on the Pollack Mihály Square and around the American Embassy, hoping they can get a smile, a picture, an autograph and a bit more in Hungarian than „köszönöm, hogy csendben vagytok” (Thanks, for being quiet.) The messy-haired, shy, tight-lipped lad, who was sleeping at his agent's two years ago, was happy if they let him on screen, but never wanted the hysteria that surrounds him now.

Robert Pattinson (for those living under a rock: Twilight, New Moon) is conquering Uma Thurman, Kristin Scott Thomas and Christina Ricci on the streets of Budapest, used for scenes of Paris, in the film adaptation of Maupassant’s novel, Bel Ami. Judging by the pictures he looks just as good with a serious face, wearing tailcoats and top hats as he is giggling, pulling his messy hair, wearing a misbuttoned shirt and jeans that slipped to his hips – the way he looked during our meeting in New York, a few days before he left for Budapest.



All my colleagues in Budapest are waiting for you to give an interview, but I know you already and know that you won’t give interviews while you are working. What are your plans for your days off in Budapest?
I’ve never been to Eastern Europe before and I have always wanted to go. You can imagine how curious I am. I’ve heard from my friends that Budapest is a beautiful city. People I know who’ve been to your country, they all love it but sadly I won’t have much free time. And I won’t have much of a chance to be an anonymous tourist.

The musical scene in Hungary is bustling though and you like to make music.
The guys I grew up with all became musicians and they are really good, I usually do something with them.

What kind of instruments do you play?
I’m fighting with the violin now, not with a teacher, only by myself, but not everyone around me is happy about it. And I’m composing. It’s interesting; it all depends on the actual character I’m playing. The guy I play in my new movie, Remember Me is a guy with deep feeling. When I was shooting that movie, I composed lots of new songs. The guy in Bel Ami though is absolutely shallow, who is not touched by anything in the world, especially not by art and since I’m in his skin now, I have a total mental block.

Do you have a band?
We had something, but we fell apart. It’s really different now that it’s not my main act anymore. It’s just a diversion from acting now. That sounds a little cheesy. Of course, if there’s a mic in a bar, you don’t have to ask me twice even today. I did that a few times in Los Angeles, but someone recorded it and put it on the internet and it scared me away. I don’t need that. I will wait until this craziness around me dies down and then I will make music again.

As a part-time musician, I guess you are interested in the Hungarian musical scene too.
What is that band in New York called? Gogol Bordello! Didn’t they do that documentary film about the eastern European gypsy musicians? I’ve been interested in ethnic folklore since my childhood, so of course yes, I’d like to check out the Hungarian music too.

Ask the producers, maybe they can shut down a bar for you in Pest.
Nah, on one hand that wouldn’t be fair, on the other hand, that wouldn’t be like blending into the clapping crowd and immerse myself into their music.

Let’s talk about Bel Ami then. Nicole Kidman was supposed to play your lover originally.
I don’t know what happened. She canceled…I didn’t get into it…Uma Thurman took the role.

And why did you choose it? It’s a fact that you worked in classical theatre in London but we can only remember you from the Harry Potter movies and the Edward of the Twilight Saga, which is light years away from Maupassant’s Bel Ami.
My agent sent me the script a year ago, and I read it not knowing the novel, and to be honest I didn’t really know Maupassant either. I liked it instantly, because the script has something special emotionally, that is really common nowadays. The world is full with men like Georges, the tailcoat and the top hat are just formalities. Everyone is envy and jealous, nothing is enough for them, even if they reach their goals. Also, if I change from the three Twilight movies, then this is the biggest jump, playing a guy who is rotten to the core, selfish and raw, who is lead by his own feelings and steps over everyone without thinking. I really felt the character, I saw him in my mind. And I liked that you can’t really see these epic, costume movies anymore, so I grabbed the opportunity.

And what do you like in Twilight’s Edward?
I loved the second book much more than the first, that’s when I first connected with the character. You can be young or old, when you fall in love with someone at first you start to idolize her, then you put her on a pedestal, then the other is a mirror. But after a while, you see your faults in this mirror and the more you see them, the less you can bear it and in the end you destroy the love, saying you don’t need this. This is real, I can tell you that. It’s strange that a cheesy book for girls like this brought me to fame, but it happened and I won’t protest.

Speaking of love…
I was obsessed with a girl for 10 years, and we never talked a word. But I still have that diary I wrote back then, because if there’s a problem in love, I just grab it and think about the person, if she is worth as much suffering as the old one was? When I finally told her back then what I felt, her jaw dropped and told me I never even had a good word with her.

How old were you?
Fourteen.

And nothing happened?
No, because she thought I was an idiot. But I became an actor because of her. She was the reason I signed for an amateur acting class.

You became a sex symbol since then, and it’s not easy to find your soul mate now, even if you believe in them.
I’d like to believe that but I would be in trouble if I found her so soon, because I’m not mature enough so I’d probably screw up. And that other thing, being a sex symbol, no one should envy me, because 14 year old little girls admire me, it’s strange for me too. If I think about the fact that 2 years ago I couldn’t even get a date, and now everyone is obsessed with me…strange.

There’s a rumor that you got the role in Twilight accidentally, but I would like to hear the details from you.
I was living my life in London and I must confess I was fed up a bit with acting, so I made music instead. You can say that I wrote off acting in my head. But my American agent, who is a nice woman, didn’t leave me alone, told me that she hasn’t seen me in a year, I should get onto that plane and show up here. I did that, came to Los Angeles, started to go to castings, that’s how I got near Twilight. The thought that it would be such a hit never crossed my mind. It seemed really small.

If you gave up acting so easily, then why did you become an actor?
Accidentally. It was never in my blood, I didn’t go to acting class in school. I fell into acting because that girl I was obsessed with was there and they let me be there around the stage. They were rehearsing a musical and one day I thought that it’d be great to play the lead. I never sang before an audience but I went to the casting and although I didn’t get the role, I debuted as a Cuban dancer. Then the play was done and the good actors went away, then Thornton Wilder’s Our Town was chosen as the next play. And I was the only tall guy who seemed right for the role. After the premier, an agent came up to me and signed me. That agent is the reason why I had a role in Vanity Fair with Reese Witherspoon, then I got into Harry Potter. While I was doing these, I ran out of time to go to university so I started calling myself an actor.

But you still haven’t moved to Hollywood, you still live in London, because they leave you alone there. Can you still go down for a beer?
It depends on the district. London is a big enough city with enough pubs where they don’t give a damn about who I am. You just have to find them. We went out recently with my friends and the waitress kept telling me that I looked like the guy from Twilight, asked me if I wasn’t his brother. But she never thought that I’d go to a laid-back pub like that. If someone recognizes me on the street, they usually look away; they are too shy to come up to me. Less fame would have been enough for me but that’s how it is and I look at the positives. Twilight opened the door for me to make movies like Remember Me and Bel Ami. I’m constantly working and the price is the craziness surrounds me everywhere I got. But every actor wants to be on screen, and if they get roles that make their hearts beat faster then it’s really worth it.

Does the hysteria around you have any effect on you?
London is so different from America. I can live a normal life there and the fuss around me seems like a nightmare there. Sometimes I think it was just a dream and then I should quickly let it go. I can just go from one movie to the other, as if nothing happened. If I don’t care about it, then it’s simply not there.

You said it’s better to let it go?
Yes, it’s better to forget that I’m famous and act like I’m blind, I confess I’m still trying to figure out what to do with this quick popularity, because I’m scared that it will stop me from improving. Not just as an actor but as a person too. But maybe I’m wrong.

I can hear the question marks in your voice. Or am I wrong?
You hear the uncertainty, which is different from losing focus. Being uncertain is good, because you realize that you are not as stable as you thought you were and you start trying to find things to hold on to. At least this is what I realized, as my own psychologist. Those people who sit in their offices have everything in their lives only forget to actually live. I rather vote for life and that means uncertainty at times.

Why?
Because every day has a lot more in it than what we realize. We don’t use our lives enough emotionally. We don’t go deep enough.

I get the impression that they sent this fame thing to the wrong address.
Fame is a mythical thing, a strange value. You don’t need qualification, money, you can be born into it. Some people think that if you are famous, you have everything that’s important in life. That’s understandable even if I don’t agree with it, because there is no other choice to break out. My generation doesn’t want to hear that the only way to earn money is working until you are 70, if you are lucky you don’t work for pennies, you can be a boss before retirement. My generation is greedy, people want to be rich and famous at 20. Everything and now, that’s the key.

Not for you?
I don’t know. I would see it differently if I wasn’t famous. I never touched tabloids before and now…What they write about people, they totally destroy the performance of the actors. This whole celebrity culture is disgusting. The more famous you are, the more tabloids write about you, the less people want to know about your movies, because what they see in the tabloids is more interesting than what they see on the screen. Actors lost that mystique. You can peek into their bedrooms, you can analyze their relationships, you can make fun of their pain, so they are not interesting on the screen anymore if their lives are open books. I find it unbearable.

There’s this rumor about you that you and Kristen Stewart will be engaged soon.
This engagement thing is total bullshit, I don’t even know where it comes from. Kristen is my friend, I really like to work with her. She’s more mature than her age, a real professional, I couldn’t wish a better partner, because she makes my every move, every sentence authentic. A big franchise like Twilight is a scary thing, because it put me on the map and I’ll have it for my whole life. So it’s important to get along with my partner, and Kristen is the perfect partner. She sets the bar high, so I must deliver too.

But you didn’t answer my question, which means...
My only weapon for self-defense is to not care about the rumors. I concentrate on my work and on the positive sides of fame. You can’t even imagine how big it is that I don’t have to go to castings anymore. They are the worst. Especially when you don’t get the job in the end. Now I have lots of people around me, looking out for me, asking me if the script is ok with me. People say hi to me, smile at me on the street, come up to me to shake my hand. Lots of people stop me just to congratulate. That’s when I realize that there are so many good, nice, normal people. And they are the majority.

You still have to walk around with bodyguards. Does that bother you?
I only have the bodyguards when I’m shooting or when I have to go to somewhere. As long as they don’t know where I live there’s no problem. When there’s a crowd around me, that bothers me. Because when I’m shooting I wake up at 5am and by the time I get home I don’t have the energy for anything. I fall into the bed. I don’t really know normal life nowadays, but I can tell you which hotel has the nicer bathroom.

Sounds like you don’t have a life apart from acting.
There’s something in that. I have a boring life here and there, I read scripts, watch movies. And wait for the phone to ring. Once I say yes to something I give 100%. And since I really don’t have much of a life apart from my job, I get so lost in my actual roles, that I forget everything outside of that. That’s how I create real characters on the screen.

That sounded really disciplined coming from a rebel.
I know, people are comparing me to James Dean, but don’t believe that. I was never a rebel. I don’t like when people tell me what to do, but I don’t rebel just to do so.

Not even against the sex symbol label?
When someone is a man of few words like me, people easily think that he’s sexy, because they think he has a secret.

And you/they don’t have one?
Oh, we/they do.

Maybe they can accept it more easily when someone breaks their heart. And not the other way around.
You can easily break someone else’s heart. In most cases people don’t even notice what they are doing.

And if someone does it to you?
You mean how do I survive? I try to act like as if nothing happened.

Do you have a routine in that?
Oh sure. Happens almost every day.

Then finally please let me say goodbye with a woman who has a heart-clenching voice, and who won’t break your heart. Maybe you’ll like her and meet her in Budapest. I brought to you the CD of Palya Bea.
Thanks. If you don’t come to Pest until then and I see her, I’ll give her your best regards.

New York, February 2010

Source ~ Thanks to papagaj for the tip
Translation Source

45 comments:

Spunky's said...

He seems more comfortable in Europe with European reporters. There is something sad about this interview. He doesn't really enjoy the fame. The tabloids are beginning to really irritate him (Thats what I took away from it). He seems grateful for twilight, but may not have been ready for the spotlight. Its almost as if he's waiting for it all to end.

He's an old soul. He speaks of the past as if he has lived it. He may just be the only person in Hollywood that didn't go there to become famous.

I'm only speculating, but Rob probably hasn't bought a home in America because he doesn't enjoy the attention in the states.

Cheeky Chops said...

I stand corrected, Thankfully. :)

Gwen Cooper 426 said...

ITA, Spunky's. Weird and a bit negative, Rob sounds almost harsh in places, BUT could be "lost in translation" maybe? Dunno. Some of the questions seemed more current than others---really, the old 14 year old girl crush he had? And asking the Hungarian music scene question more than once? AND ending the interview by giving Rob a cd? Yeah, okay.

Anonymous said...

I think someone another thread here proved that this reporter had given him a CD in an interview NM promo time, so this interview is not new

Spunky's said...

In the interview the reporter mentioned that Rob doesn't give interviews while he is filming. This appears to have been done in NY at the time of Remember Me premiere.

I do agree that Rob sounds agree. I can't believe he didn't laugh once in this interview. Does Rob ever say "Nah". I couldn't recall, but the "Nah" in one of his responses didn't sound like something Rob woud say.

Cheeky Chops said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Spunky's said...

meant angry ... not agree

Marna said...

I seem to remember some of this stuff, but what makes me crazy is this question:
There’s this rumor about you that you and Kristen Stewart will be engaged soon.

Rob's answer:
This engagement thing is total bullshit, I don’t even know where it comes from.

So then she says:
But you didn’t answer my question, which means...

How is that not answering the question? He said it was bullshit, is there another meaning for the word bullshit that I'm not aware of? Does it mean "I'm being coy" somewhere?

jessegirl said...

Well, whether there's something lost in translation or not, whether the interview took place some time ago or not, he says, as usual, some interesting things.

He writes music depending on the character he's playing at the moment? Tyler's tortured soul brought out the composer in him but naughty, haughty Georges drew a blank. If true, this is fascinating. Did he have time/energy to write songs while shooting RM?

I've wondered about his choice of Bel Ami as a project, apart from its literary cachet, I mean. He wanted to play a selfish user. 'I felt the character.' I guess that's what makes him an actor.

"...still trying to figure out what to do with this quick popularity, because I'm scared that it will stop me improving. Not just as an actor, but as a person too."
There he goes again, giving me the bits that hook me again. Although this sounds familiar, I don't mind hearing it again. That he is interested in improving 'as a person' is indicative of the type of person he is already.

Then he drops another little nugget: "...every day has a lot more in it than we realize. We don't use our lives enough emotionally. We don't go deep enough."
Oh man, Rob, you are like no other actor, esp. one so young. Old soul is right, as some of us have said here before, Spunky.

What a guy.

modestypatch said...

Okay, so I saw this on another thread and posted about it there. Something is not right about it. She first of all is combining an interview she did with him for NM and an interview apparently done in Feb in NY which would have been the press junket for RM. (Which makes it really weird that there were no questions about RM.) There was a video of her interview with him from NM when she gave him the cd posted on another thread. The interview was done in English, but someone was talking over it translating. Which brings me to the next weird thing:

Some of the answers don't sound like he would normally talk. So if she is speaking to him in English, he is answering in English, and this article is written in English, why does it sound like someone took his thoughts and made them sound like someone else said them? There should be no translation issues. Right?

I don't doubt she interviewed him, but something's not right.

And the Kristen question and love life questions would not have been allowed to even be asked in February 2010 much less answered.

This is why I hate written interviews. You never know what's real and what's not. I never totally believe anything unless I hear it with my own ears. Call me a skeptic.

Anonymous said...

This interview is very interesting. I read another version at another site today, and I can see that it was translated at least twice, and exhibits some discrepcancies.

One glaring example of how I believe this writer is working from notes and not a recording is that Rob is quoted as saying the Twilight books were "cheesy". I doubt very much that he would ever say such a thing... he's much too polite to put down the work of an author he has admired elsewhere.

Much of it, however, does ring true, but it was also given during his promo period for Remember Me so the comments about living in the moment and appreciating life work with other comments about that film and Tyler's character.

It does sound a bit sad though, and the lonely life of a very famous but isolated person comes through here. When I think of how he has been living in hotels for years now and how is parent's house is almost under siege by rampant fans, I really feel sorry for him. P. Brosnan said that he was handling fame well considering all the fans surrounding him. I think that this comes across in this interview. I only question here how accurate this interview is,,, it reads more like a casual conversation,,, with lots of words, from someone who rarely answers questions in this style. There is a lot of emotion here, even the history of his "obsessed" love for the girl he mentions, but very little humor, and that is not in the style we've all come to know with Robert. He seems to truly enjoy the simple things in life the best, but he always brings a sense of joy to his comments, even on very serious subjects. There is very little joy in this interview. That is why I believe that some of it is fabricated, perhaps during a translation.

twmmy said...

We, in Hungary think, that this article a mixed-cutted article from an old one and another reports. Ms Návai had a report with him at the NM press junket. Not very wise thing to make this "interview" , because the fans know it is cheating. But the other people....believes in this. I don't like media. It seems the hungarian media didn't know a thing about the fact, Robert has fans in Hungary.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know if there is any video of any portion of this interview? And where did this written version actually appear?

If it was done (on video) in English, it was probably translated into Hungarian, then re-translated back to English and a second newer (written) portion added on later... not good journalism, but a good mystery.

GiGi said...

The media really sucks. Remember what Rob said awhile back "there isn't anything written about me that is even true". we have to take all this with a grain of salt. Some of it is new and some is old I believe.

modestypatch said...

@Belladonna

I believe this is the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTHT7P0InvQ&feature=player_embedded

Anonymous said...

Thanks Modesty... I found the link,,, and about a half dozen others now too... some small changes in each, but also confirmation that it was triple translated and added onto at a later date... that doesn't mean there was an additional new interview and coming from a journalist's perspective, I'd bet that the interviewer had "extra" comments not used in the earlier interview....and accomodated to the Budapest wrap. She does say Robert doesn't give interviews when he's working, and we haven't seen any others yet, have we? I doubt any of this is really new and some possibly casually stretched a bit too.

This kind of patch work interview stuff makes all media people look like fiction writers. I look forward to the next round of video interviews, hopefully unedited, that tell us the whole, real story. Like I said before, it's an interest mystery, in its way.

tgill said...

I'm confused did something get lost in translation? since when would he refer to Twilight as a cheesy book? Also did he not say in the Elle interview in Cannes that he loved Bel Ami and that it was one of his favourite books.
Are they adding in extra bits to the interview?

Cindygal said...

...I read this interview some where yesterday &i thought it was interesting! (If its a true interview). i just find some of the things "Rob" says very intelligent! which is one of the reasons i love him!...

Delle1 said...

This is the same outfit he wore in the New Moon Cast Mall appearance........

WhyIstheRumAlwaysGone said...

I don't know, it looks to me like something which has been patched-up and cobbled-up from several different bits of interviews from different times, plus some things are realy fishy (he never would say the Twilight books are cheesy, and I remember him saying that Bel Ami was one of his favourite books). Plus "lost in translation" issues, maybe. But many details don't fit... I would say it's fake or partly fake.

Cheeky Chops said...

I woke up to realize something..too many ppl on this thread write/type in exactly the same manner..in exactly the same way..and you're all saying the same thing..LOL..the truth is..WHO CARES ANYMORE??? LOL

Anonymous said...

Well I disagree this interview seems genuine to me, and 90% of it is new, i.e not even familiar. And for those of you saying that he wouldn't answer the Kristen question, remember that he always used to answer it up until the VF interview in the summer, when a few crazies went crazy because he essentially denied having a relationship with Kristen. So I don't find it far fetched that Robert would address this question with a foreign interviewer who has credentials.

I think that a few answers may seem a bit familiar because the question is familiar. And while I disagree with Robert on one thing here (I will address them below lol), I think that this interview overall is great and insightful! And I am so glad it got posted here, this is another strong indication that it is legit! Of course the first indication is the woman having a picture with him and the date.

I'm thinking that it appears that they allowed this interview for Bel Ami, because Robert had started shooting it in February. I don't find it farfetched that Robert took several days from shooting Bel Ami to promote Remember Me, and in return they let him have one interview mostly for Bel Ami.

The thing I disagree with him about is the soulmate thing, I don't think that age has anything to do with soulmates. There are some people who get married at 18 and stay married until they are old and gray and till death do them part. And then there are some who get married at 30 and divorce two years later. So I don't think that age has a lot to do with it!

And now the things I love about this interview, I love Robert's insight, and yes he does seem more serious here, but I'm thinking it's because the questions are more serious. I love how he appears so grounded, and how he doesn't and will not allow fame to affect him. I love how down to earth and genuine he is. I love how he called the rumors BS, LOL. I love how he seems to understand every character he plays.

And he doesn't treat Edward like he is a less important character to him, just because he appeals to females. But, just a minor gripe lol, Robert shouldn't have called Twilight a "cheesy book for girls"- because even though I don't like the Eclipse and BD books, and with all its flaws- it remains way less cheesy than those stupid blockbuster shallow action male movies!

I love how he knows Edward, Tyler and Goerges in depth. I love how he could compose when he was playing Tyler, but once he started playing Georges he couldn't because Georges is such a rotten character.

I love his analysis of Edward. How can a man like him not make a woman melt, when he shows such emotional and deep understanding of characters that appeal to us, i.e Edward/Tyler and Jacob soon!

Anyways great, insightful interview! I love it.

solas said...

I care.
As for the interview, it reflects at least a few things:1- Ideas do get lost in translation.
2- Interviewers seem to patch together comments from previous interviews,even ones they did not do.
3-As a result of 2 (patched together interviews) we often see outdated comments, some of which have been made irrelevant. I do wonder if this is because the interviewer has to fill in space, or if the interviewer has an agenda and looks for words to fit what she wants to express, true or not.
4- What really counts in these interviews is the little glimpse we get of Rob's personality, which we can only know may be true due to watching many vidoes of interviews over time; there is a pattern that reflects a thoughtful thinking sensitive soul, which is certainly one of the main reasons, aside from admiring his performances, I am a fan. And here is where I have to disagree with him, in part (and i will post what is given as his words, although I would love to hear this straight fromself, without mutlitple translations..) On the one hand, I do understand the distress and disgust of what he calls 'the celebrity culture'; that rags and papz 'totally destroy the performance of the actors;' that 'The more famous you are, the more tabloids write about you, the less people want to know about your movies, because what they see in the tabloids is more interesting than what they see on the screen. Actors lost that mystique. You can peek into their bedrooms, you can analyze their relationships, you can make fun of their pain, so they are not interesting on the screen anymore if their lives are open books. I find it unbearable.'
On the other hand, I cannot adequately express how mindblowing it is for myself to read his observations, see how he thinks, how he grows. Not only does it NOT detract from my wanting to see his movies, but it makes me want to see more, to see how he takes on a character and expresses it, and how he allows that character to interact wtih the others, and then afterwards to see that he is not only intact, but also learning, growing! The flip side of this, for myself, not with regards to Rob (at least yet, and I surely hope never) is when an actor or musician or designer or writer, etc,(or anyone in my frame of vision) behaves or verbalizes in a way that is repugnant to me. When one star (I don't think he acts well, so I won't call him an actor, yet I enjoyed his movies and his looks)tiraded about Jews, and made a movie with definite antisemitic under and overtones, that was it--I don't watch his films anymore and now when i see him, I see him as ugly. When I see people wearing clothes that reflect an affinity to people who seek to kill me, who HAVE tried to kill me and succeeded in killing family and friends, I shut them out-- don't want them in my line of vision. Not that i am into designer names and fashions anyway, but when I learn a designer has made racist statements, I don't want any clothes by him or with his name. So, yes, their personal lives taint for me forever the desire to see them, even in performances.

So, yes, I care, not about if he is engaged now (although I certainly wish him lifelong happiness with a lifelong partner who is right for him, and for whom he is right)but rather for the depths of his remarks, his soul, that draw me as a mother, a teacher, a psychologist, a spiritual person, a human being, to Rob as another shining soul.

solas said...

DM--ITA wth disagreeing about the soulmate idea. I think it is possible this was from an earlier time, and we can see from other interviews where we SEE him, and can see if he is fooling around or consdiering something, that he does not totally agree with it himself, and that he is still fleshing it out, grappling with it.

Kathy S said...

I think that those of us who closely follow Rob have come to the point where we do recognize when someone adds bullshit to his interviews. Maybe it is a joke and we don't really know him and perhaps sometimes he does pull our chains with his answers, but I think pattern recognition is a human trait. @Kember, I don't know if you are implying we are all brainwashed or that there is not much diversity of thought here?

solas said...

Pattern recognition is a trait of INTELLIGENT humans as critical thinking skills are a reliable sign of intelligence. That said, the lad does play games, putting in a bit of nonsense here and there, plus, he is still growing and learning, and will say on one day what he thinks and feels is true, and then a totally different or even opposite sentiment or observation on a different day. He also has begun to realize that his off-the-cuff remarks, or jokes, or subconsciously full comments, have gotten himself into trouble, so he is now tempering some remarks, is a bit more cautious, or even misleading to get an interviewer and audience away from the core.

Cheeky Chops said...

I'm not knocking the interview or ppl who care about it..I (personally) don't believe anything anymore unless I see and hear it come out of his mouth..I actually like the interview very much..but there is still something in the back of my head going..hmmm..because we have seen too many interviews that were NOT true..or half fabricated.

solas said...

I thought about this whilst running my errands today, and realized that Rob's comments about writing (or not writing) music reflect an agreement with what I wrote above, about tainting; I am not sure if Rob is consciously aware of it yet in its entirety but I have confidence he will get there. If just portraying, 'walking in the skin of' an obnoxious and/or noxious character can limit or prevent the ability to write songs, to express his real self, then he can extrapolate from that how character can taint what a person produces. And this brings me to the ideas on the earlier thread about his playing Kurt Cobain(may he rest in peace), as well as much older threads where some of us expressed concern about what some roles could do to Rob. Some of us have pointed out over time how important it is for himself to be grounded and have loved ones (family, friends, soulmates, kindred spirits, etc) nearby and attached enough to help him- even FORCE him- to step out of the character's skin at the end of the day.

Anonymous said...

I think I've enjoyed the thoughtful comments here as much as the mysterious translated interview. The whole purpose of adding a comment, and blogging is allowing us the opportunity to join in on the discussion about a person whose work and life we admire, for our many personal reasons. We come from all around the world, from different phases in life, from diverse viewpoints... what a great fan base!

And, while I've said this before on these sites, there is no doubt in my mind that these comments are being read and considered. If enough people make comments that wish to discourage choices for upcoming roles, that will be taken into account by the agents, studios and probably Robert himself. If a role, like Georges, is stopping an area of creativity important to him, like music, another such role would probably do the same. Would I like to see Bel Ami? Of course. Would I like to see Robert consider upcoming roles that take us deeper into our human condition, give him a wide creative path and provide good entertainment for his fans? Of course. Hopefully, he will have some time coming up soon to consider his "own work" like maybe a biopic on Van Morrison, another musician he has said he'd love to play.

Why not write it yourself, Robert? By the time you get to it you'll have plenty of hands on work with developing screenplays and your stature and your own fanship of Morrison will probably put you high on his list for personal research. Now, that's a story we would all love! And just think of the music you'd use as a soundtrack?

Unknown said...

Hi guys once again!
I like your comments, so serious and insightsfull thoughts.
And yeah, I think our minds work similarly sometimes - we have the same ideas, comments and conclusions at almost the same time... It´s so-so fascinating how our boy effects us all - regardless age, religion, mentality, background, experiences, character or education...
We r indeed the UN of RP!!!
I´ve always wondered - do we have any guys on this blog? None?
Where do we all come from, I mean which coutries? Anyone from India here, maybe China? So exciting, don´t u think?
I would like to share a wonderful thought/observation av Jenny Lumet about Rob (from the Details-interview)
"SOME PEOPLE CAN HAVE THE OCEAN IN FRONT OF THEM AND JUST PUT THEIR BIG TOE IN.
ROBERT WANTS TO SWIM UNTIL HE DROWNS, AND HE´S GOING TO TRY TO DRINK IT ALL UP BEFORE HE GOES UNDER."
I adore it!
And yeah, Belladonna, I also believe that our opinions have a big importance and that they´re very very SIGNIFICANT!
Our common energy & love & strength can make the difference.
I think that our - the true fans love & care & effort saved Remember Me and made it a success.

Anonymous said...

fnd 188, Solas, Modesty and others... thanks for keeping the level of comment so high here. I love coming to this site and really do enjoy our diversity as well as our differing opinions.

We're all from different places,,, me, I'm from California, working in the media.

Anonymous said...

I say half of this is bs. Rob was seen leaving airport today with kristen. So I dont think there just friends.Rob wont answer any personal question but all sudden he will with this lady give me a break. I dont see rob calling twilight a cheese girl book.

Anonymous said...

I say half of this is bs. Rob was seen leaving airport today with kristen. So I dont think there just friends.Rob wont answer any personal question but all sudden he will with this lady give me a break. I dont see rob calling twilight a cheese girl book.

jessegirl said...

Solas, I like your thoughts while you're running errands.
--I just wrote something really good and the website couldn't process it and it is deleted so I'll try to remember what it was---

Did you mean you wonder whether Rob will come to discover that if playing Georges could stop up his song writing than could it also 'taint' him in some way?

I always wonder why actors relish playing villains so much. They always say it's fun, or something along those lines. Portraying someone who isn't restrained by morality seems to feel liberating to actors? To see what it would be like, to explore that aspect of being human?

But how can Ralph Fiennes or Al Pacino, for example, not be 'tainted' by playing an evil Nazi officer or an evil Mafia don? Are these actors learning something important about the human condition by doing this? They get Oscar nominations for this stuff. It's impressive.

And, after playing one of these characters, can the actor 'check it at the door' and move on? What has the process done to him? Is it harmful? And if any role an actor plays does not impact him, what's the point, for him?

Rob, in that infamous Details interview, said that 'as an actor, you can elevate the human condition, or cheapen it', remember. ...'you try to elevate, and maybe, someday, you will'.

Actually, Rob did that already with Remember Me, which, if I knew he was listening, I'd tell him.(But, I don't think he's ever or will ever read anything I've ever written on any of these sites, I really don't.) Which is not to say he should rest on his laurels.

(And no, Belladonna, I do not believe that someone from Rob's camp is reading our stuff here and considering. Who the heck are we?
And if they were reading, it wouldn't be to glean any wisdom which might percolate here. I'm pretty cynical about it. It would be with a more calculated eye and anything of value we might say would be glossed over.
I have no illusions that anyone, much less Rob, would be lurking. If someone were assigned to, they would not give a rat's ass about anything really thoughtful going on here. It would be to gauge fandom in some way.
The whole thing is really sad.)

Well, Solas, I did lose the train of thought I'd had earlier, damn it, 'cause I liked it.

As usual, I don't keep anyone else's hours and you might not be reading it anymore. Ah, well...

jessegirl said...

I guess I'm asking, if you choose a role that cheapens the human condition, aren't you wasting your time?

It takes so long, in life, to accomplish anything which elevates our condition. I don't mean big deeds, like Mother Teresa or something, I mean coming to an understanding of what that 'elevating' would entail, what it would be, how would we recognize it. And then, how would we do it? How would I, myself, do it, with the gifts I've been given?

And if it takes such a long time, why waste our precious time consciously diverting oneself with that which cheapens the human condition? As an actor, why do that?
--Not speaking of Oscar, accolades, fame, money, speaking strictly about that pesky human condition--

I can understand playing tortured souls like Tyler, but not ammoral or immoral ones. Of course, in every story someone must play those roles.

Whatever else, speaking of Rob, I think the personal is paramount to him. That is, what he, as a person, gets out of playing a particular role.

solas said...

Jesse--I wish so much I could talk with you, and some others on these boards, in person. I am a terrible typist, often have a difficult time figuring out how to say something in english, and time zone and thread burials often smother good thoughts and 'conversations.'


I was thinking of 'tainting' on several different levels: 1- with regards to the quote attributed to Rob about how 'celebrity culture' emphasizes the personal lives of stars to the abandonment of their films, I do feel that knowing some of the personal qualities and actions (like racism, antisemitism, abuse) taints their work, at least for me. Maybe it is a spiritual thing, because i am such a 'soul' person, but I feel sullied and adversely affected by the products and work once aware of bad character.

2- Tainting as affecting the actor when he takes on a role, is a real possibility, especially when the role is dark. Every word and act in our lives, even those of us who are not actors (although I suppose we all 'act') leaves is mark. ( I wrote a song about this; can try to type out the words to it if you like--I don't know if anyone is reading this thread now with the airport photos and the 'robsten' fights!;-))!)So 'wearing the skin' of a character, getting into the mind of the character in order to understand how he relates, how he will express, will leave its trace and mark on the real person himself. The question is which kind of mark; for some, it is darkness, a possibility of a place to go where the actor might not have gone if he had not taken on that role; for some, it is a scar that is a reminder of how painful and damaging that character is, behaviour and intent to avoid.

This is one of the things that intrigues me about Rob; he intellectualizes enough to understand the character and foresee the possibilities. Yet, he also sees character traits in himself, and he also gleans information about himself by playing some characters.

Taking on an awful character is not necessarily cheapening the human experience at all, if once can truthfully portray the character and get across the flaws and the message of disgusting behaviour.From what I understand, the old BelAmi film had Duroy killed at the end, because they did not want to champion his despicable behaviour, and wanted to show consequences. How much more a challenge it would be to portray the character, let him 'win' (not kill him off) and still have the audience loathe the behaviour! A kind of internal Dorian Grey! And the conflict of gorgeous looks and un-gorgeous character! No nasty dastardlly evil-faced villian with twirled black mustache tying a sweet young thing to the railway tracks! (Of course, Duroy was really doing what everyone else was doing; was maybe just better at it that some, so for the most part it wasn't a matter of this evil user taking advantage of good innocent victims, but rather of a bunch of a users fighting for the top of the ladder.)

So yes, Ralph Fiennes and DNero et al, did seem to learn (and teach!) something about the human condition, elevating us rather than dragging us down, although there are always sick psychos who will thrill at seeing sadistic nazis and maniacal mafiosos, and so that acting expereince is more of a scar to look at as having MET evil, yet conquered it (although I don't know them personally so for all I know they COULD have let the evil get into their skin and brain, G-d forbid!)

solas said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
solas said...

As for the question of taking on roles that cheapen the human condition, aren't you wasting your time? ABsolutely! But I don't think that means that villainous roles, sadistic roles, etc, cheapen the human condition, esp in light of what I said on the above long posting. A good actor will NOT cheapen the human condition, even when playing the villian, because he will get across something--at least an understanding of the evil, how it operates, how it is allowed to continue, etc.

As for the really big question-- I don't thnk it DOES take a long time in life to accomplish really good things, really big things. I thnk we can choose to elevate life, even the world, with little acts, every day. In the ways of my people, we have a teaching: It is not required of you to complete the task, but you are not expempt from working on it either. Every step and and action we make toward good, makes a difference toward good.

And if an actor can grow and learn about himself and the world from a role, without it adversely affecting him, that is good. And if he can use his craft to help others (his audience) learn and grow, to understand evil and reject it, even better.

solas said...

To me, cheapening the human condition is done when movies (or any artform or media, etc) CELEBRATE stupidity, ignorance, racism, any other disgusting behaviour or traits; when they model and make as a standard behaviour that lessens us as a species; when they appeal to the lowest common denominator.

solas said...

I just had to come back here to tell you of a real life incident that contrasts so glaringly with 'Remember Me' and especially the character of Tyler: A teen-age boy in Florida got mad about text messages and attacked the girl who wouldn't pass his texts to a former girlfriend. he attaacked the girl so badly by knocking her down and kicking her in the head wth steel-toe boots to the point they had to remove piece of her skull to releive the brain swelling and she is an induced coma. The connection? The boy found his brother, dead by suicide, hanging from a tree last year. The parents did not deal with the boy's horrible grief. So you have one boy whose grief snapped him into a horrific violent force, and another who tatooed his brother's name on his heart, who interceded in fights to defend others, and who instigated fights wth his father and his sister's classmates, to protect his sister.

jessegirl said...

Solas,
Thanks for getting back to this.
It IS so frustrating the way the blogs are set up and I guess some of us need some other method to make some of our most valuable 'talks' come to pass.
If you like, I can email you.

I don't think the following comments will be that great, as you've given me a lot to digest and this is just a little of my immediate reaction.

Yes, Solas, about Bel Ami: I thought of Dorian Gray too. And your right--as I understand it--that Parisien society at that time was, apparently, full of this kind of behaviour. De Maupassant was trying to expose a lot of things about society with this novel.


'..the acting experience is more of a scar to look at having MET evil yet conquered it':
Hmm. Yeah, that could be part of it for actors, and yet I always recall them saying it's so much 'fun' to play evil, as if its all a grand joke and a game, as if 'tainting' is not the remotest possibility.
However, I like the notion that they 'try on' evil, so to speak, to overcome it. But how do they know they will? How do they know they are strong enough?

Your second comment:
Good ending there. If an actor can use his craft to help us understand evil and reject it... that is worthwhile.

Yes all the little acts that we do to elevate count. I like the teachings you talk about so eloquently. I know I was stream of consciousness thinking when I commented on figuring out what to do to elevate the human condition. I think my point had something to do with discovering what particular gifts I have--you have, anyone has--which are the tools with which I can achieve this. What are my gifts?

But I've gone off on a tangent again. When I think of my son, who elevated the human condition in so many little ways always, just by BEING the genuine soul he was and spreading that beauty around, I know my stupid idea about 'finding' one's gift is silly. In a way, if we all just actualize our most pure--ie. good pure--self then that's it. We will do it. And the gifts, by which I mean talents--like acting, writing, banking, etc.--are just tools to help us do the job. And, hopefully, they will be the tools we enjoy and are skilled at using.

jessegirl said...

Oh Solas,
that last story about the teen from Florida. Oh my, those kinds of things still shock the heck out of me. (I actually don't listen to much of the news these days. Irresponsible I know, but for temporary sanity perhpas??) Such brutality over trivialities (there seems to be a lot of this going on these days).

And, oh wow, the juxtaposition of that with Tyler and what he does is stunning. Tyler is a tortured soul who is TRYING so hard, sometimes getting it right, sometimes not, but always trying. I love the guy and to have Robert play him and to have them both be so close in age to my son, did, as you know by my many comments, hit me very, very hard.

It is something I need in my life now, but it is painful too. As a Scorp--I know you don't believe in this stuff, nevertheless--I have a huge capacity for pain. I know I can 'handle' it better than a lot of people, can, somehow learn what it teaches.
I trust myself. I trust my instinct about these things, about what is 'good' for me psychologically. It is not masochism because there is no enjoyment on any level.
Ach, I'm not explaining myself well.

Remember Me is, for me, a most remarkable film because it affected me so very strongly. But when I read the comments of others, here and on other sites, I see that it has affected so many that way, even though the specific 'pain' they have to work through is different than mine.

I think it is a catalyst for some alchemical transformative process and I trust myself to take the journey.

I know I haven't addressed all the fine things you brought up in this last round of comments, but thank you for everything. Your typing and English are fine.

:)
My husband wants me off the computer now.

Oh, and I thank Robert for taking me on that journey, for becoming Tyler for a time.
I think one of the things Robert does best is deepen the human condition, which is just as important as elevating it.
Hmm. Deepening and elevating, down and up. Hmm. Definitely deepening.
He is so very special, that man.

solas said...

Am tired, will try to answer you tomorrow, possily in morning, possibly in afternoon. But I want to leave you with the song (lyrics) I wrote over 20 yrs ago for my own son.

NO EXIT
by solas


Like the shards of a shattered mirror stabbing at his soul are the remnants of the role
the actor leaves behind,

And when at last he leaves his cage, he’s told all the world’s a stage; He has nowhere to go but out of his mind--There’s no exit!

There’s no way out for the soul that’s been smothered by the mask of his own skill.

No exit--for every part in life leaves its mark, its trace, its scar.



Like the shrapnel of a battlefield remaining in his head are old dialogues thought dead the actor says no more,
Yet when he tries to speak his mind, his own words he cannot find.

He has nowhere to go but out of his mind--There’s no exit!

There’s no way out for the soul that’s been neatly tucked away by his own hands.

No exit--for every word in life leaves its mark, its trace, its scar.



Like the tapes of a bloodied bandage plastered to his heart is the character’s cast part the actor leaves behind
And when he tries to find himself he flows blood of someone else.

He has nowhere to go but out of his mind--There’s no exit!

There’s no way out for the soul that’s been hidden by the strength of his own will.

No exit--for every role in life leaves its mark, its trace, its scar.



Like the loss of a long-term lover ripped as with a knife from the not-so-fiction life the actor says,’ farewell’

And he leaves the stage and lights ‘til his body hosts another life, for
He has nowhere to go but back into his hell--There’s no exit!

There’s no way out for the soul in the attic’s graying portrait in his mind.

No exit--for every act in life leaves its mark, its trace, its scar.



Like a babe in a darkened nursery sobbing for the light, so abandoned in the night, the soul cries out at last

He’ll rewrite the script they’ve dealt and he’ll recreate his ‘self’

He has a place to go--deep in the past. There’s a window,

A ray of light for the soul that’s been chained and cheated of his heritage.

A skylight--may every breath in life give you space and hope and stars.

jessegirl said...

Oh man, Solas, I don't know what to say. Wow!
My mind's a blank right now, and my husband's being neglected.
Check your email.

solas said...

Finding one's gift is not silly at all, and i don't think that just actualizing our selves, even our pure selves, is enough. We humans are social beings, even those of us who are reclusive in nature, and it seems to me that just findng our own gifts, or just actualizing our Selves, is selfish. Finding our selves, developing our selves, realizing our selves and our potential, are all important steps, but it is what we do with it, vis avis society and the world, or even our microcosm, that is the key, the most crucial, and that is the way to elevate the human condition, and not just our own.
I also am a scorpio, and I don't dismiss it totally. I do think somehow that the time we are born, and the energy of stars, sun, tide, and so many other factors, might very well have an influence, or at least indicate a tendency, but ultimately, since i believe very strongly in G-d as Master of the Universe, as the Master Builder and Creator, that the stars and other forces in nature do not dictate or control our lives, and that we can rise above the stars in what they seem to dictate. In many ways, I am a true scorpio. Some things written for scorpios have pretty much shocked me with accuracy (ex: I once had this unexplained drive to decorate my bedroom in red; i bought red tartain sheets and red tartan fabric to make curtains, etc, and a few days letter read that scorpios would have the urge to make their bedrooms all red!!!)I am extremely intense and passionate, and have had to learn to use logic and words to survive and not overwhelm others (and even my self!) with my intensity and passion. On the other hand, scorpios are supposed to be into control, and I have no desire to control anyone, but am fiercely--almost manically- independent and dont accept control from ANYONE except G-d. Also, scorpios are supposedly known for their stings, and I don't sting at all; I actually hate conflict and will run from it.
You explain yourself well enough re pain. I also HAD a huge capacity for pain, used to take it on from others to make their lives easier because I was able to handle it better. Now it has become too much. I used to think the term 'heartbreak', or breaking one;s heart, was metaphorical, but I have unfortunately come to experience that it is real actual crushing breaking pain, and that somewhat like prometheus, I can have my heart crushed, slashed, squeezed out til I think there is nothing left to pump in my veins, only to find another day that it can get crushed, slashed, squeezed out again. Fortunatley and unfortunately, I am somewhat of an empath, and so i am not dealing only with pain directed toward myself, but also toward others; ultiamtely, for myself, others' pan IS my pain as well. I so often get to the point where I cry out within (i don;t cry openly or out loud) that i simply cannot take it anymore, but then somehow I mend, am almost whole, and then get crushed again. The only way out, as far as I can see, is to stop feeling, and although I try to at least protect my feelings, my heart, with logic and distancing, I still do feel and so there is the possibility once again and always for the pain. For me, part of being human is feeling, and so the heartcrushing and heartslashing continue as well.

 
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